"Master!" Princess Anfu called out softly and took a step forward to Chu Li.
Chu Li nodded and pressed his palms together as he smiled at Zhao Yancheng. "Your Majesty, please —!"
"Alright, I haven't been here for a long time." Zhao Yancheng smiled.
He brought Xu Changfeng and Deng Yue with Gu Yuanhe following closely behind. The group stepped through the main gate of Ruyi Temple.
As soon as they stepped through the gate, everyone felt the scene before them change. It was as if they had arrived at another world. It was quiet and serene. Their surroundings were quiet and faint sounds of Sanskrit could be heard. Their surroundings became relaxed and peaceful.
Zhao Yancheng looked around and sighed. "This place looks more and more like a Buddhist Holy Land."
Chu Li smiled. "I've put Your Majesty in a difficult position."
"Sigh …" Zhao Yancheng shook his head and smiled bitterly. "What are you trying to do, Master?"
Chu Li said, "I know this goes against the general trend of the world, but I can't bear to see people suffer. I can only try my best. Ruyi Temple will always adhere to this principle."
"You want to suppress the world with the power of a temple?" Zhao Yancheng said, "It's not that I'm looking down on you. You're omnipotent. If you can do it, what about the person behind you? Can he also suppress the world?"
How arrogant was it to fight against the world with one's power? Throughout history, no one could do this no matter how great they were.
Chu Li said, "After me is Anfu. She has excellent aptitude and learns quickly. I believe she will soon be able to stand on her own. When that time comes, I can retire in peace and no longer care about worldly affairs."
"Anfu?" Zhao Yancheng looked at the smiling Princess Anfu and sighed. "She worshipped the wrong person as her master. She used to be carefree but now she has such a heavy burden on her shoulders!"
Chu Li said, "That depends on her choice. She can change her mind before I retire."
Princess Anfu said, "How can I change my mind when it's such a good deed? Don't worry, Master!"
Chu Li smiled and shook his head. Zhao Yancheng glared at her and scoffed. "Good deed is good but are you as capable as the Master? Can you stop the whole world by yourself? "
Princess Anfu scoffed. "Father, you're underestimating me!"
Chu Li said, "Please forgive me for being stubborn this time, Your Majesty!"
"Sigh …" Zhao Yancheng shook his head and sighed.
Xu Changfeng said in a deep voice: "Great Master, there is one thing I do not understand."
"Almsgiver Xu, please speak," Chu Li said.
Xu Changfeng said, "Doesn't Great Master need to abide by the precepts?"
Chu Li said, "The Buddhist precepts are a shortcut to enlightenment. I've already gained enlightenment, so naturally, I've already transcended the precepts. There's no need for me to cling to them, I can move around freely."
"In that case, Grandmaster can kill people at will?" Xu Changfeng asked.
Chu Li said, "Although it's said that monks are compassionate, there are some who will commit all sorts of evil. If we can't change them, we can only subdue them."
"Aren't you afraid of incurring public wrath by massacring like this?" Xu Changfeng asked in a deep voice.
Chu Li smiled. "The hands of these assassins are stained with the blood of innocent people. I can hide from them, but even if I can hide from them, how can the innocent people hide from them?"
"There are countless evil people in the world. Are you going to kill all of them?" Xu Changfeng asked.
Chu Li said, "There's a limit to what I can do. Suppressing evil and not starting a war is already my limit. I can't do more."
"Forget it!" Zhao Yancheng waved his hand and said, "Great Master, go ahead and do it!"
Chu Li pressed his palms together. "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Xu Changfeng panicked.
Agreeing to it like this was no different from binding his own hands and feet. He clearly had a powerful weapon and could dominate the world, but he had to cripple his own martial arts and bind his own hands and feet. This was the most foolish thing to do!
The appearance of Master Dingru was an opportunity that Yu the Great did not have, and the unification of the world was within reach. However, once His Majesty agreed to it, it was tantamount to cutting off this opportunity, and he would also lose the chance to become a famous subject.
Zhao Yancheng glanced at Xu Changfeng and said, "Dear Xu, there's no need to discuss this anymore. Also, get those who are remonstrating to restrain themselves. They're always making groundless accusations and causing trouble!"
"… Yes!" Xu Changfeng slowly nodded.
Once Zhao Yancheng's decision was made, it was impossible to change it. As a subject, he could only obey.
"Alright, all of you may leave!" Zhao Yancheng waved his hand. "I have a few words to say to the Great Master."
"Father …" Princess Anfu hurriedly said.
"You go too, wait for me outside the temple," Zhao Yancheng said.
"Alright," Princess Anfu said.
Only Chu Li and Zhao Yancheng were left in the temple.
Chu Li smiled. "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
"You don't have to do this, Great Master. My life was saved by the Great Master, just treat it as repayment." Zhao Yancheng smiled. "Moreover, I'm not losing anything, the Great Master will eventually retire."
Chu Li said, "It seems that Your Majesty really has the ambition to unify the world."
"As an Emperor, who doesn't have the same thought?" Zhao Yancheng said.
Chu Li nodded. "I understand Your Majesty's plan. As long as Your Majesty doesn't start a war and unify the world, I have nothing to say."
Zhao Yancheng said, "If the world can be unified, the Great Master will be the main contributor."
Chu Li smiled and shook his head.
Zhao Yancheng sighed. "Although Anfu's martial arts is strong, her heart is too pure. I'm afraid it'll be difficult for her to shoulder such a great responsibility."
Chu Li said, "It's a good thing for people who practice martial arts to have a pure heart. Moreover, once you're strong enough, all conspiracies and schemes are useless. Your Majesty need not worry about this, after I retire, she'll be able to suppress the world."
"That's good." Zhao Yancheng nodded slowly, his eyes shining.
It was as if he could see himself becoming an Emperor. Although this Emperor was different from ordinary Emperors and did not have as much power, it was enough compared to Yu the Great.
"Great Master, then I shall take my leave." Zhao Yancheng pressed his palms together.
Chu Li sent him off.
—
The following half a month was peaceful. Da Shuo, Da Kun, and Da Ning seemed to be intimidated by Chu Li and did not dare to send any more assassins. The border also calmed down. The original small-scale fighting disappeared and the whole world became peaceful.
However, everyone knew that this was the calm before the storm. The undercurrents were surging.
Another half a month later, the capital became lively. Da Shuo, Da Kun, and Da Ning all sent envoys. These envoys were led by the Crown Prince, and the standard of these envoys far exceeded that of ordinary diplomatic groups.
When they arrived at Yu the Great's capital, the first thing they did was to go to Ru Yi Temple.
The three groups clearly had an agreement. They would arrive at the capital together and go to Ru Yi Temple together.
However, Ru Yi Temple was closed and Chu Li was in seclusion.
The Crown Princes of Da Shuo, Da Kun, and Da Ning stood in front of Ru Yi Temple and waited for an entire day. From morning until evening, when the bright moon hung high in the sky, they did not leave and insisted on seeing Chu Li.
However, Ru Yi Temple remained closed and Princess Anfu was missing. She was in seclusion somewhere.
Thus, the entire capital kept an eye on this place. From time to time, news would spread, and Zhao Yancheng in the Imperial Palace would occasionally receive news of their movements.
Xu Changfeng and the four old officials accompanied Zhao Yancheng in the Primary Announcement Hall to discuss matters.
"Your Majesty, what do they want?" Xu Changfeng frowned. "Why do they insist on seeing Ding Ru the Divine Monk?"
Zhao Yancheng shook his head.
The four old officials also fell silent.
After a while, a sickly old man with grizzled eyebrows and a sallow face slowly said, "Your Majesty, this old subject has a guess."
"Elder Zhong, please speak," Zhao Yancheng said.
Zhong Qingli stroked his beard and slowly said, "They might want to acknowledge him as their master!"
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